Whether you’re serving food at your restaurant, pub, cafeteria, or workplace, it’s important to consider vegetarian customers. Research by Roy Morgan found that close to 2.5 million Australians (12.1% of the population) mostly or entirely eat vegetarian diets. If roughly 1 in 8 of your customers are vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian (occasionally eat meat) then that goes to show the need to accommodate with vegetarian recipes.
It might take a bit of a mind shift to figure out how to use vegetarian products and produce in your menu, but it is possible. Vegetables, nuts, tofu, legumes, grains and fruit can make exciting combinations and flavours. Consider it a chance to flex your creativity. Manufacturers are also creating wholesale vegetarian foods that can nudge you in the right direction when looking to swap our meat for plant-based options.
As the demand for vegetarian food increases, so do the standards for the dishes. Consumers don’t want to sacrifice taste, quality and the experience of eating out to maintain their dietary restrictions. Challenge yourself and your cooks to offer top-notch vegetarian dishes
There are easy wins when it comes to eating healthy on a vegetarian diet if you eat a variety of foods. Eating lots of vegetables, leafy greens, and legumes supports a nutrient-dense diet. It can help you get plenty of vitamins and minerals without much effort. On the other hand, challenges you might face on a plant-based diet include getting enough protein, calcium, and vitamin B-12. Meat is a high source of protein and iron. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are great sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids – which are oftentimes referred to as “good fat.” Vitamin B-12 is only found naturally in animal products.
With a vegetarian diet, you need to be aware of potential deficiencies and learn about alterative, plant-based sources. It might take time to learn what foods are good sources of what nutrients, but it is possible to find vegetarian-friendly sources for most of these nutrients. You can also find vegetarian products that are fortified with vitamin and minerals such as grains, tofu, and orange juice. Check the nutrition label to become more familiar with nutrient-dense foods.
If you are looking to revamp your menu to make it more plant-based, make sure your dishes still have a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Good sources of plant-based protein include tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, and quinoa. You can add healthy fats with avocados, nuts, and coconut or extra-virgin olive oil.
It can be tempting to simply take the meat out of dishes such as serving pasta and sauce without the meat to make them vegetarian. Take a minute to consider how you can make it a healthier option and elevate the dish with a few simple tweaks. Instead of cooking with white pasta, use a chickpea pasta that’s high in protein. Replace the meat with lentils for another great source of protein, as well as fiber and iron. It is possible to eat healthy, yummy foods with a vegetarian diet. Your customers are sure to appreciate the effort!
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